The present invention relates to communication systems in general, and in particular to communication systems for measuring user interaction or response, such as television systems for measuring viewer response.
Communications systems which measure viewer response are well-known in the art. An example of such a system is described in U.S. Pat. 4,107,734 and 4,308,554 to Percy et al. Other related technologies are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. 5,481.294 to Thomas et al. and 4,677,466 to Lert, Jr. et al.
A system which provides, in an interactive communications system, interactive information output based on a selection profile is described in U.S. Pat. 4,602,279 to Freeman.
The disclosures of all references mentioned above and throughout the present specification are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved communication system for measuring user response.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a viewer response method for use with an interactive telecommunications system, the method including accumulating a user interaction history of a user of the system, the user interaction history including user interaction information associated with a plurality of user interaction events, and providing user-sensible feedback, based at least in part on the user interaction history.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the step of providing user-sensible feedback includes providing user-sensible feedback via the telecommunications system.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the plurality of user interaction events comprises a customized plurality of user interaction events customized to the user.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the interactive telecommunications system includes a television system, and the user interaction history includes a viewing history including viewing information associated with a plurality of viewing events.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least one of the plurality of viewing events includes the user viewing a commercial.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the commercial includes a selected commercial selected from a plurality of commercials broadcast via the television system.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the plurality of viewing events includes the viewer viewing at least two commercials, and the at least two commercials include at least two commercials selected, according to at least one predetermined criterion, from a plurality of commercials broadcast via the interactive television system.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the interactive telecommunications system includes a computer network based communications system.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the computer network based communications system includes a World Wide Web (WWW) based system.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the user interaction information includes information supplied by the user while participating in at least one of the plurality of user interaction events.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the step of accumulating a user interaction history of a user includes performing the following steps at least twice: prompting the user to enter a response during a user interaction event, receiving the response entered by the user, and storing the response.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the step of providing user-sensible feedback includes providing an indication that the user is entitled to receive a prize.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the step of providing user-sensible feedback includes providing an indication that the user is entitled to participate in a game.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the indication that the user is entitled to participate in the game includes an indication that a winner of the game is entitled to receive a prize.
There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for playing a game using an interactive television system, the method including accumulating a viewing history of a viewer, the viewing history including viewing information associated with a plurality of viewing events, and authorizing the viewer to participate in a game based, at least in part, on the viewing history.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method also includes the step of providing the game to the user via the interactive television system.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least one of the plurality of viewing events includes the viewer viewing a commercial.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the commercial includes a selected commercial selected from a plurality of commercials broadcast via the interactive television system.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the plurality of view events includes the viewer viewing at least two commercials, and the at least two commercials include at least two commercials selected, according to a predetermined criterion, from a plurality of commercials broadcast via the interactive television system.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the interactive television system includes a headend located at a site remote from the viewer, and the method also includes transmitting a message including at least a portion of the viewing history to the headend.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method also includes analyzing the portion of the viewing history at the headend, and modifying the behavior of the interactive television system based, at least in part, on a result of the analyzing step.
There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention an interactive viewer-response telecommunications system including user interaction history apparatus for accumulating a user interaction history of a user of the system, the user interaction history including user interaction information associated with a plurality of user interaction events, and user-sensible feedback apparatus for providing user-sensible feedback, based at least in part on the user interaction history.
There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention an interactive television system including viewing history apparatus for accumulating a viewing history of a viewer, the viewing history including viewing information associated with a plurality of viewing events, and gaming authorization apparatus for authorizing the viewer to participate in a game based, at least in part, on the viewing history.